Animal-trap.



PATENTED MAR. 17, 1908.

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H E. CARTER. ANIMAL TRAP APPLIOTION FILED LUG. 15, 1907.

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HILLERY E. CARTER, OF BROOKLYN, IOWA.

ANDVIAL-TRAI.

Speccation of Letters Patent.

Patented March 17, 1908.

Application filed August 15, 1907. Serial No. 388,664.

To all whom it 'may concern:

Be it known that I, HILLERY E. CARTER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Brooklyn, in the county of Poweshiek and State of Iowa, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Animal-Traps, of which thefollowing is a specification.l

This invention relates to that class of animal traps which areself-setting; that is to say, in which the victim, on entering into thecage compartment of the trap, leaves the trap reset for the next victim.

The object of the invention is to simplify and improve the constructionand operation of this class of devices.

With these and other ends in view which willreadily appear as the natureof the in vention is better understood, the same con sists in theimproved construction and novel arrangement and combination of partswhich will be hereinafter fully described and particularly pointed outin the claims.

In the accompanying drawing has been illustrated a simple and preferredform of the invention; it being, however, understood that no limitationis necessarily made to the `precise structural details thereinexhibited,

ut that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of theinvention may be resorted to when desired.

In the drawing, Figure 1 is a perspective view of an animal trapconstructed in accordance with the invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsectional view of the same. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectionalview taken on the plane indicated by the line 3 3 in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is aperspective detail View of the bait box, detached.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by likecharacters of.reference.

The improved trap comprises a box or cage 1 and an entrance compartment2, the latter extending longitudinally adjacent to one side of the cagewith which it is con nected through a doorway or aperture` 3 in one ofthe side walls of the cage; said doorway being provided with a gravitydoor or gate 4 opening into the cage.

The inlet compartment consists of a longitudinal passage provided at theends thereof with inclined or obliquely disposed doorways 5 adjacent towhich the outer wall 6 and the top 7 of the inlet compartment areprovided with l'langes designated respectively 8 and 9.

The inlet compartment is provided 'vith a I fa'lse floor, supportedabove the permanent floor 10, and said false floor includes a verticallymovable ooring strip 11 and doors 12-12 that are hingedly connected withthe ends of said flooring strip by means of links 13 which, While theyermit the doors to 'swing freely in an upward direction, also space thesaid doors sli'htly from the iioorin'g strip. At the ends o? the inletcompartment, `adjacent to the doorways 5 are transversely disosed rods14 su orting the doors 12 which atter will normaillp gravitate to theposit-ion shown in full lines in Fig. 2 whereby it will be seen that thefree ends or edges'of said doors normally rest upon the iiooring strithe latter being supported in an elevate 'osition by the weight of thedoors. en suiiicient weight, such as that of an animal is imposed uponthe flooring strip, at a point intermediate the doors, t e iioorinvstrip will be depressed and the doors 12 wil swine upward to theposition .indicated in dotted lines, the u ward movement of the doorsbeing limite( by the ilanges 8 and 9 adjacent to the doorways. The endsof the entrance compartment are preferably provided with recesses 15 forthe accommodation of the free ends of the flooring strip, the hingedends of the doors and the transverse supportin rods 14.

nder the construction illustrated inthe drawings, the to 7 of theentrance compartment is provide with lips or tongues 16-extendingthrough appropriate slots 17 in the adjacent wall of the cage box7 -saidlips being bent downward, as shown, to edect the desired connection ofthe parts; this construction is deemed convenient and appropriate whenthe device is made of sheet metal, which is the -material preferablyemployed in the construction.

The top 7 of the entrance com artment is provided intermediate the endst ereof with a slot or aperture 18 for the reception of the bait box 19which includes a downward extending U-shaped supporting portion 20,having o en ends, and upon which bait may be place this constructionenables the bait box to be readily detached for the placing of the bait,and the latter will be exposed in a suitable position intermediate thedoors of the inlet compartment.

The operation and advantages of this invontion will be readilyunderstood from the foregcing description when taken in connection withthe drawings hereto annexed.

When a victim enters the entrance compartment through the doorway ateither end oi said compartment, the wei ht imposed upon the flooringstrip 11 will c epress the latter and cause thedoors 12 to swing u warduntil arrested by engagement wit the flanges 8 and 9; the only outlet,then, will be through the doorway leading into the cage com artment, andwhen the victim enters sai compartment the flooring strip 11 will berelieved from the weight, thus permitting the .doors' 12 to swingdownward to the initial or normal position, leaving the trap set for thereception of the next victim. 1

IIavin thus fully described the invention, what is c aimed as new is 1.In a trap, an inlet compartment consisting of a passage having doorwaysat the ends thereof, a vvertically movable flooring strip, transverselydisposed supporting rods adjacent to the lower edges of the doorways,doors supported loosely upon the rods, and links connecting the doorswith the ends of the flooring strip. n

2. In a trap, a cage box provided with a doorway an entrance compartmentconsisting of a longitudinal passage adjacent to the cage box andcommunicating therewith through the doorway, a gravity gate closing thedoorway of the caCge box, said entrance compartment having oorways atthe ends thereof, supporting rods adjacent to the lower edges of thedoorways of the entrance compartment, doors supported loosely upon therods, a llooring strip extending the full length of the entrancecompartment, and links connecting the doors with the ends of the looringstrip.

3. In a trap, a cage box, an entrance compartment consisting of alongitudinal'passage adjacent to said box and having doorways at theends thereof, means for obstructing the doorways and a bait boxsupported intermediate the doorways and having a U-sha ed open endedsupporting member.

4. lii a trap, a cage box provided with a doorway an entrancecompartment consisting of a longitudinal passage adjacent to the-cagebox and communicating therewith through the doorway, said .compartmenthaving doorways at the ends thereof, and a top piece provided with aslot or aperture intermediate the doorways, a gravity gate closing thedoorway of the cage box, and a bait box supported upon the top of theentrance compartment and havin a U- sha ed supporting member adapte toexten through the slot or aperture therein.

5. In a trap, a cage box provided with a doorway, an entrancecompartment consisting of a longitudinal passageway adjacent to thecage, means formed in the top of j the entrance compartment forconnecting the latter to the cage box, flanges forme on the top andsides of the entrance compartment, a vertically movable flooring strip,doors hingedly connected with the j ends of the flooring strip and doorsupporting rods disposed transversely 'adjacent to the lower edges ofthedoorway.

In testimony whereor I aiix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

HILLERY E CARTER.

Witnesses:

J. A. BARNES, A. B. TALBoT'r.

